Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Eccl.2:4 I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards. 2:5 I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 2:6 I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared. 2:7 I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem; 2:8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men--musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 2:9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. 2:10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. 2:11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

We often see new plants coming up in the spring of the years fighting their way into existence creating a fruit or a vegetable, and than dying in the fall of the year. We give it little or no thought to this yearly process, for its is the cycle of life on earth. But the real question is, have we actually given thought to the human life cycle? Why ask? Because what Solomon expressed above is what each human being experience in this life, they may not come close to the material wealth Solomon accumulated, but when they come up in the spring they all fight their way to gain power and control of their life by things they gained upon earth, than back to the dust, and their thoughts do perish.

Isa.40:6 The voice of one saying, "Cry!" One said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. 40:7 The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh's breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.

No amount of wealth, and the joy it bring to our hearts is going to make us live in longer than the generation that followed us. A plant may last a few days longer maybe a month, but it will perish once its job for a few seasons is finishes! The question Solomon came to realize as bitter as it was, its is all vanity, a chasing after the wind. Whom can catch the wind, whom can keep their spirit from leaving their body at death?

Isa.40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever."

Psalms 1:4 The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Proverbs 30:4 Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?

Why would a man lie to themselves that the wind can be caught by gaining material things, or living the best life upon earth is some how a right, and we must like a plant with no soul or brain follow the same course without choice, and serve pleasure and material things? No! Solomon never said finding, and knowing God was in vain, or a chasing after the wind. He clearly said our pursuit on earth is pointless without doing what the maker of us us ask.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

James 1:11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits.

Deception seems to be a part of us? When we think we are the first, the last, and the best, when billion upon billion of lives are found in the dust before us, with only a head markers so we can remember someone lived on earth? Is such thinking not folly to the full? Like an unthinking plant that has no choice, but to grow and produce the same fruits all the other plants of its specie has before it dies?

Psalms 74:18 Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, Yahweh. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them;"

Yes, we live in deception if we follow the same course of thinking that we are somehow different by what we accumulate is justified that we can beat the odds, we can do as we please when ever, and for whatever reasoning we can drum-up. It is a chasing after the wind, for dust blows in the wind, the same dust that we must come into if we believe the cycle of life before us. Solomon went to the dust, so went his kingdom, so went his power, so went his thoughts, so went his fun under the Sun. But not the Son of God, whom rejected this world, and its lust, dying a painful death. He did not allow the truth to be lost, he did not accept the kingdoms of this world, he did not try to make a lasting name for himself.

Philip. 2:5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
2:6 who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 2:7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. 2:9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Christ trusted God, with his whole soul, mind, and heart, he built lasting treasure in heaven, and opened a door for us to do the same. But we cannot take the broad and spacious road of pursuing riches upon earth, we must suffer, and be rejected by this world to do the will of our Father in heaven. Yes, we must not let the pride of our flesh justify our action by labeling our efforts with Christ name, we must walk in the truth, as hard, and narrow that road be - to find the glory of God.

Rom. 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 8:36 Even as it is written, "For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter."{Psalm 44:22} 8:37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

See also: www.nu-truth.com